Justice News

Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Over 12 years in Prison for Drug Crime Committed on Supervised Release

A Cedar Rapids man on federal supervised release was sentenced yesterday to more than 12 years in federal prison for possessing more than 35 grams of “ice” methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Pablo Ortega, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received a total prison sentence of 147 months’ after a March 24, 2016, guilty plea to possession with intent to deliver more than 5 grams of pure methamphetamine, which was further supported by his admission at yesterday’s hearing that he had violated the conditions of his supervised release by committing a new crime. Ortega had been released from federal prison in December of 2014, after serving a 188 month prison term for another federal drug trafficking crime.

At his guilty plea, Ortega admitted he was on supervised release beginning in December 2014, and was subject to having his residence searched by federal probation officers. On November 6, 2015, when the United States Probation Office conducted a search of his residence they found over 35 grams of “ice” methamphetamine, which is highly pure methamphetamine.

Ortega was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. For the violation of his supervised release, Ortega was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. For the new drug crime, Ortega was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment to be served consecutively with the other term of imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and investigated by the United States Probation Office, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.